September 8, 2025 • 7 mins
Brian Smith, Director of Food and Beverage at Treetops Resort joins us to discuss fall golf and food at Treetops!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Talk of the Town, a news radio with
thirteen hundred and one oh six nine FM. Steve Kelly,
Brett Pikita from West Michigan's morning news Golfers and Eaters,
which brings in our next guest, the director of Food
and Beverage at Treetops Resort, Brian Smith. Thank you so
much for coming in today.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Fall golf is my favorite time of year. Yeah, the leaves.
If you can't find your ball, easy excuse. I know
you're probably thinking temperature and I think about that as well.
But Brian, welcome, Thank you for coming in today.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
I want to talk about that special first, right, let's
talk a little bit about what you offer for golf
before we get into some moort really cool culinary experiences.
So if I want to play a little golf and
I want to stay at tree Tops, you have something
amazing going on.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
We do. We have the fall frenzy, so nine two
rounds of golf in overnight lodging come on. So the
best deal you're going to find.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
I don't know how you get your head around that, folks,
but it's premiere golfing at a premier destination in a
beautiful part of the world, great golf courses, and just
like that, it's that cheap.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
It's the probably the best fall deal we've had. And
colors are going to be great, So why not come
in golf?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
And if you're thinking right now, if you haven't been
to Tree Tops, man, everyone's gonna jump on that deal.
They're not gonna have enough holes for me, Well they will.
They've got eighty one holes, five championship courses. They've got
what's called the Three Tops, which is my personal favorite
because you know what, I'll lose some ball still on that,
but not as many because they're all par three holes
and it's a lot of fun to play. But one
hundred and ninety nine dollars per person with the lodging.
(01:36):
It's beautiful up there. And I always tell people that
you almost forget about the golf because of the views
that you have in like Steve mentioned fall Color Tour.
You're doing a fall color tour, why you're playing golf?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Absolutely, that's the percoctate. You get this package. You get
to do a fall color tour while you're playing golf.
And then we'll talk about the Fall Color Tour.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
With food treetops dot com for more information. Brian, we
were staying up there as a family and a guy
was wheeling a cart buy to do some maintenance thing,
and he stopped and asked me how my day was going,
and I thought, well, there's a kind of a culture
here of taking care of the guests. Talk to about
that from the culinary side of things here with food
(02:17):
and beverage. Talk us to us about the people that
you work with, the team that you work with to
bring us that experience.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
We have focused very much on making a great guest
experience for everyone that's there. I try to spend as
much time as I can out in the restaurant talking
to people, getting feedback, making sure what we're doing is
what our customers want. And that's been a huge shift
of what we're looking at doing this year is trying
to bring back more exciting food things to Treetops so
(02:47):
that there's more to do outside of just golf.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
And who doesn't like food, right, That brings in everybody,
because even if you're not a golf officionado, and you
guys have done a nice job as a resort. Because
we've had other guests on from Treetops of whether you're
their skime and want to work in the culinary experience,
whether you want to take a sleigh ride out in
the middle of the forest, go to a cabin and
have a culinary experience. And now you're just adding it
(03:10):
to fall golf.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
We're trying to add culinary to every season so that
for the non golfers there's still something to do.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
So how does that work again, treetops dot com. Let's
start with the Fall Color Tour and Progressive Dinner. What
does that look like?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So that is going to take place on the Jones
Masterpiece golf course. You do not have to be a golfer.
You just have to drive a golf cart. Okay, So
you'll come in right, exactly easy. You don't have to golf.
You show up, you'll get on the cart, you'll be
let out. There's three different stations on the golf course
that you will get food and beverage at you be
able to look at all the beautiful scenery. That course
(03:46):
is absolutely breathtaking, so the views are phenomenal. And then
after that you'll head back up to the restaurant where
you will have your final course, which is something you
will select when you make your reservations. We have a steak,
chicken and a vegetarian option, so kind of covering all
the bases for the final meal.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
And places are limited on this roster, so make sure
you call or go on the website and book it now.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Absolutely, go to the website and get them booked. It
sells out quickly because it's beautiful. And I mean we
only do them in groups of twenty, so it's not
like you're out there with one hundred people. You're out
with twenty and we do sixty people a day. So
three waves of twenty only four times in the fall,
So get them booked. Why you can?
Speaker 1 (04:31):
We Sandy and I did that. You mentioned the cabin
in the woods. The culinar experience there is I think
if you put in your head that they're ramming groups
of golfers through and that that's not a priority, you're
not right about that because Treetops is a special kind
of a different kind of a destination and they I
are guys like Brian Smith, and that's really what you do, right, That's.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
What we tried to do. Even in winter, like when
we do our dinners, it's twelve people hon a sleigh. Right,
you're at you're only a group of twelve, so it's
way more of an intimate feeling setting then you're just
with one hundred people that you don't know. So just
trying to make it very personalized and condensed down.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
It's not a halfway house and there's going to be
a carousel hot dogs.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Right, not at all.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
And the one thing I will say, and Steve and
I've been up to Tree Taps a lot, is we
bring our families up there. You can bring friends up there.
It's great for couples outing, it's great for a guys
outing with the golf experience. And the thing I will
tell people always is you don't feel like a number
like Steve just mentioned, you can have your memories. That's
what I know the staff is all about, from Barry
(05:39):
all the way down to you. In the fact of
just the moments that you have there. I take photos
of everything and I'm like, oh, that was that trip,
that was this trip. You get that no matter who
you are when you book with Tree Taps, which is
really a fantastic push to your staff as well.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
It is and one of the big things that is
pushed is we create memories that last a lifetime, Like
that is treetop slogan, like, that's what Barry pushes on
and we make sure that everyone feels special when you're there.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
What's your favorite thing on the menu right now? And
you got to think about this.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I do have to think about it because I do
eat there quite a bit.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
It's treetops dot com. I'm gonna give you some time
to find out more information.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
You can make it easier. What's your favorite to make?
Speaker 2 (06:25):
So luckily I have not had to spend a lot
of time in the kitchen this year. The winter, I
spent more time in the kitchen, but I love we
do a pork chop right now with a bourbon sauce
on it. That is one of my favorite things to
eat right now.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
And it's lunchtime, which is what's amazing. It's my ask
the question, it's my fault. What are you gonna do?
Fall golf? The Autumn Society sensation at Treetops Resort a
culinary tour their Fall Color Tour paired with the Progressive Dinner.
You'll find out more at treetops dot com. Get there,
Uh Fully endorsed by Brett Pikita in West Michigan's Morning News.
(07:04):
Can you tell that we're really fishing for a pork chop.
You guys bring if you have any in your even
in your pockets.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
You brought no pork shops with me this morning. Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
The director of Food and Beverage at Treetops Resort, Bryan Smith,
it's been fun. Thank you for coming in.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
This is Talk of the Town on news radio Wound
thirteen hundred and one oh six nine FM.
This is Talk of the Town, a news radio with
thirteen hundred and one oh six nine FM. Steve Kelly,
Brett Pikita from West Michigan's morning news Golfers and Eaters,
which brings in our next guest, the director of Food
and Beverage at Treetops Resort, Brian Smith. Thank you so
much for coming in today.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Fall golf is my favorite time of year. Yeah, the leaves.
If you can't find your ball, easy excuse. I know
you're probably thinking temperature and I think about that as well.
But Brian, welcome, Thank you for coming in today.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
I want to talk about that special first, right, let's
talk a little bit about what you offer for golf
before we get into some moort really cool culinary experiences.
So if I want to play a little golf and
I want to stay at tree Tops, you have something
amazing going on.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
We do. We have the fall frenzy, so nine two
rounds of golf in overnight lodging come on. So the
best deal you're going to find.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
I don't know how you get your head around that, folks,
but it's premiere golfing at a premier destination in a
beautiful part of the world, great golf courses, and just
like that, it's that cheap.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
It's the probably the best fall deal we've had. And
colors are going to be great, So why not come
in golf?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
And if you're thinking right now, if you haven't been
to Tree Tops, man, everyone's gonna jump on that deal.
They're not gonna have enough holes for me, Well they will.
They've got eighty one holes, five championship courses. They've got
what's called the Three Tops, which is my personal favorite
because you know what, I'll lose some ball still on that,
but not as many because they're all par three holes
and it's a lot of fun to play. But one
hundred and ninety nine dollars per person with the lodging.
(01:36):
It's beautiful up there. And I always tell people that
you almost forget about the golf because of the views
that you have in like Steve mentioned fall Color Tour.
You're doing a fall color tour, why you're playing golf?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Absolutely, that's the percoctate. You get this package. You get
to do a fall color tour while you're playing golf.
And then we'll talk about the Fall Color Tour.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
With food treetops dot com for more information. Brian, we
were staying up there as a family and a guy
was wheeling a cart buy to do some maintenance thing,
and he stopped and asked me how my day was going,
and I thought, well, there's a kind of a culture
here of taking care of the guests. Talk to about
that from the culinary side of things here with food
(02:17):
and beverage. Talk us to us about the people that
you work with, the team that you work with to
bring us that experience.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
We have focused very much on making a great guest
experience for everyone that's there. I try to spend as
much time as I can out in the restaurant talking
to people, getting feedback, making sure what we're doing is
what our customers want. And that's been a huge shift
of what we're looking at doing this year is trying
to bring back more exciting food things to Treetops so
(02:47):
that there's more to do outside of just golf.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
And who doesn't like food, right, That brings in everybody,
because even if you're not a golf officionado, and you
guys have done a nice job as a resort. Because
we've had other guests on from Treetops of whether you're
their skime and want to work in the culinary experience,
whether you want to take a sleigh ride out in
the middle of the forest, go to a cabin and
have a culinary experience. And now you're just adding it
(03:10):
to fall golf.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
We're trying to add culinary to every season so that
for the non golfers there's still something to do.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
So how does that work again, treetops dot com. Let's
start with the Fall Color Tour and Progressive Dinner. What
does that look like?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So that is going to take place on the Jones
Masterpiece golf course. You do not have to be a golfer.
You just have to drive a golf cart. Okay, So
you'll come in right, exactly easy. You don't have to golf.
You show up, you'll get on the cart, you'll be
let out. There's three different stations on the golf course
that you will get food and beverage at you be
able to look at all the beautiful scenery. That course
(03:46):
is absolutely breathtaking, so the views are phenomenal. And then
after that you'll head back up to the restaurant where
you will have your final course, which is something you
will select when you make your reservations. We have a steak,
chicken and a vegetarian option, so kind of covering all
the bases for the final meal.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
And places are limited on this roster, so make sure
you call or go on the website and book it now.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Absolutely, go to the website and get them booked. It
sells out quickly because it's beautiful. And I mean we
only do them in groups of twenty, so it's not
like you're out there with one hundred people. You're out
with twenty and we do sixty people a day. So
three waves of twenty only four times in the fall,
So get them booked. Why you can?
Speaker 1 (04:31):
We Sandy and I did that. You mentioned the cabin
in the woods. The culinar experience there is I think
if you put in your head that they're ramming groups
of golfers through and that that's not a priority, you're
not right about that because Treetops is a special kind
of a different kind of a destination and they I
are guys like Brian Smith, and that's really what you do, right, That's.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
What we tried to do. Even in winter, like when
we do our dinners, it's twelve people hon a sleigh. Right,
you're at you're only a group of twelve, so it's
way more of an intimate feeling setting then you're just
with one hundred people that you don't know. So just
trying to make it very personalized and condensed down.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
It's not a halfway house and there's going to be
a carousel hot dogs.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Right, not at all.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
And the one thing I will say, and Steve and
I've been up to Tree Taps a lot, is we
bring our families up there. You can bring friends up there.
It's great for couples outing, it's great for a guys
outing with the golf experience. And the thing I will
tell people always is you don't feel like a number
like Steve just mentioned, you can have your memories. That's
what I know the staff is all about, from Barry
(05:39):
all the way down to you. In the fact of
just the moments that you have there. I take photos
of everything and I'm like, oh, that was that trip,
that was this trip. You get that no matter who
you are when you book with Tree Taps, which is
really a fantastic push to your staff as well.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
It is and one of the big things that is
pushed is we create memories that last a lifetime, Like
that is treetop slogan, like, that's what Barry pushes on
and we make sure that everyone feels special when you're there.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
What's your favorite thing on the menu right now? And
you got to think about this.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I do have to think about it because I do
eat there quite a bit.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
It's treetops dot com. I'm gonna give you some time
to find out more information.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
You can make it easier. What's your favorite to make?
Speaker 2 (06:25):
So luckily I have not had to spend a lot
of time in the kitchen this year. The winter, I
spent more time in the kitchen, but I love we
do a pork chop right now with a bourbon sauce
on it. That is one of my favorite things to
eat right now.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
And it's lunchtime, which is what's amazing. It's my ask
the question, it's my fault. What are you gonna do?
Fall golf? The Autumn Society sensation at Treetops Resort a
culinary tour their Fall Color Tour paired with the Progressive Dinner.
You'll find out more at treetops dot com. Get there,
Uh Fully endorsed by Brett Pikita in West Michigan's Morning News.
(07:04):
Can you tell that we're really fishing for a pork chop.
You guys bring if you have any in your even
in your pockets.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
You brought no pork shops with me this morning. Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
The director of Food and Beverage at Treetops Resort, Bryan Smith,
it's been fun. Thank you for coming in.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
This is Talk of the Town on news radio Wound
thirteen hundred and one oh six nine FM.
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